


Passing it All Down the Line

by CobraOnTheCob



Series: Zutara Week 2019 [4]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Bending, F/M, Steam Babies - Freeform, Zutara Week 2019, mentor, prompt: mentor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-21
Updated: 2020-11-21
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:53:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27655766
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CobraOnTheCob/pseuds/CobraOnTheCob
Summary: Zuko and Katara teach their bending daughters the fundamentals of their elements.
Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar)
Series: Zutara Week 2019 [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1446184
Kudos: 24





	Passing it All Down the Line

**Author's Note:**

> Anyways here are my random headcanons for bending styles all crammed into one fic that I didn't get a chance to post last year due to not having finished the prompt shattered.
> 
> This was written in 2019, nothing has been changed from what i finished writing (save for the scene change style) to what you will read.

"Push and pull. The Northern style." Katara instructs her five year old daughter. Kya's brow crumpled as she concentrated on moving the pond.

"What's the Southern style?" Kya asks inquisitively, turning tropical ocean blue eyes to Katara's dark ocean ones.

"Same base, push and pull, but is more adaptable to working with a group of warriors. Gran-Gran told me that the first Southern waterbenders watched how the wolves and killer whales hunted in packs, how efficiently they could almost soundlessly communicate with their fellows. A Northern style bender is great at fighting on their own, but their movements tend to crash into each other once there are too many in their fighting space. A Southern style bender can adapt to the movements of their siblings-in-arms easily, and are a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield." Katara said.

"So why teach both?" Kya asked. Katara smiled.

"Uncle Iroh says that it's wise to take wisdom from all sources. Knowing multiple styles of bending can help you on the battlefield. The Northern style in recent years has leaned more towards the arts; from storytelling to ceremonial dances, while the Southern style still retains its aggression. Most people know about Northern style, and believe waterbending to be gentle. But water isn't gentle, a flood can wipe out a village, riptides have drowned many, the depths hide various creatures who could mistake a human for a tasty morsel. Foggy Swamp style is adapted for stealth, and the benders of the Foggy Swamp discovered that it's possible to bend the water in plants to make a plant move how they want." Katara explained.

"Then what about Master Hama's style? She was a Southern bender, like us, right?" Kya's eyes gleamed as she peered up at her mother. After the war, Hama was brought home to the Southern Water Tribe, where a healer was contacted to help Hama heal from her trauma. The elderly woman begged for Katara to preserve her teachings, and to find the light in bloodbending. Her sentence was to stay in Inuksuk and heal, and never to leave the South Pole for vengeance. Hama agreed, as long as she didn't see a non-Southern Water Tribeperson. She kept mostly in her own home, where she was allowed to have visitors. Occasionally, Katara came and talked to Hama about her breakthroughs with finding the good side of bloodbending, each visit made Katara feel happier and lighter. She and Hama agreed that no one under the age of fourteen was to see her, since Hama didn't trust herself enough to be around children.

"Master Hama's waterbending is different from the rest of us. She was the only waterbender in a nation that killed her fellow warriors. She developed bloodbending in order to escape the horrid prison the waterbenders were kept in. She became a lone wolf, and forgot the rush of fighting side by side with another Southern bender. When she found me, I think she was happy to find me, and was desperate to pass on her teachings. Not just bloodbending, but the Southern style as well. I noticed that she adapted her bending depending on my proximity, as if expecting me to fight side by side. At first, I thought her bending was more aggressive because the circumstances forced it to be, but I realized it was second nature to her. The movements weren't like the movements of any firebender, and combined with Gran-Gran's stories, the realization was jarring. The Southern style was nothing like the Northern style, it was a style born carving a life in an unforgiving land, and born from watching the predators take down their prey." 

"Wow," Kya's eyes were wide with wonder and awe, "When do I get to learn Hama's style?"

"When you're older, sweetie," Katara said, "Now, back to the Northern style, push and pull, stay relaxed."

* * *

"Remember, bending can use emotional energy, firebending the most famous of all," Zuko said, as Takara meditated, the candles flickering in tune with her emotions, "Good. Now, will the candles to go out, one by one."

"How do I do that without moving?" Takara asked. 

"Focus on one flame. Put some of your tranquility in it, and then turn your emotions down." Zuko instructed calmly. Takara's brow furrowed, and Zuko watched as his daughter concentrated on one candle, the flame slightly growing taller, before it shrank into an ember, then poofing into smoke. The candles followed suit. She opened her eyes into the darkness.

"I did it?" Takara squeaked. Zuko nodded. 

"Good job. You've shown control and restraint at such a young age. Master Jeong Jeong would be impressed."

"Really?" Takara asked, and beamed as Zuko nodded and the two cleaned up the room, followed by stepping out into the morning sun.

"Now for some basic _katas_ ," Zuko said, going through the motions, "Take it slow." Takara moved, copying his motions as Zuko watched.

"Can we start firebending?" Takara asked. 

"Concentrate on making small flames. Don't surpress your emotions, but keep in tune with them." Zuko said, "Repeat the katas, but allow fire to come out." Takara nodded, golden eyes glittering with excitement, as she moved into the katas, small flames coming out. Zuko smiled.

"Why don't you let me around Master Jeong Jeong? He seems nice." Takara said, once she finished her katas.

"Master Jeong Jeong, although a little less extreme as he was when he was younger, is still not suitable for a young one like you. He does have valuable points, but not the ideal training methods for you." Zuko said, after a moment. It was true. Jeong Jeong had a tendency to see the worst in every firebender, with maybe the exclusion of Iroh and Zuko. But Zuko knew that the minute Jeong Jeong looks at Takara, Jeong Jeong might erupt into some "oh no it's Azula the Second, she's going to turn out like her aunt" or something along those lines, despite the dark skin, wavy hair, and slightly stockier build. 

"Oh. But what about Uncle Iroh?" Takara asked.

"Uncle Iroh is currently fawning over Siqiniq and Pakoda, he might teach you later," Zuko replied.

"Oh. OK. Can we go inside now?" Takara asked. Zuko smiled and nodded, leading the way back inside.

* * *

"So, how was today's lesson with Kya?" Zuko asked after lunch, both having retreated to their bedroom to 'fall into a food-induced coma while Kila stands guard'. Katara smiles.

"It was nice. She actually asked about the styles of bending today, and about Hama." Katara said, slipping out of her training attire.

"Takara and I talked about Jeong Jeong, and where Uncle was today," Zuko replied, "Bath?"

"You asked the sweaty waterbender. Of course I want a bath." Katara said, gently pecking Zuko's lips. 

"Cold or hot?" 

"Cold, of course."

**Author's Note:**

> Where is Kama in this? I wish I remembered what 2019 me wrote tbh. 
> 
> Bonus if you can tell the difference between my writing style in 2019 vs in 2020. I wonder how much I've changed.


End file.
